Ya think the Russians haven't calculated we have a weak paper-tiger for president?

[Spare_change]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Actually, it's pretty obvious Putin and the rest of America's enemies and competitors are constantly sticking their fingers in America's eyes because they know Obama won't do a thing about it. It's just a question of how far they think they can push the envelope without further consequences.

What, exactly, do you believe Obama should be doing about it that he isn't already doing?

Quite simple, actually ....

1) Announce publicly that the US intends to sponsor Ukraine into NATO.

2) Announce publicly that the US intends to assist NATO to install anti-missile defenses in Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania.

3) Announce publicly that the US is opening all federal lands to oil development.

4) Announce publicly that the US intends to support the Keystone development.

5) Announce publicly that the US intends to increase its natural gas exports to those European countries currently receiving oil and gas from Russia.

1) To what end?

2) Tit for tat. Russia then deploys nukes in their satellite states closest to Europe and shuts off gas supplies to Europe. And what does it accomplish, aside from escalating the threats?

3) Not only is that not necessary, since the price of oil is already pommelling Russia's economy, it only gives the Republicans and their rightwing corporate bosses what they have wanted for the past ten years - carte blanche to trash our environment for their own benefit.

4) Irrelevant.

5) That I can agree to, with some minor reservation.

It's all about military and economic maneuvering ...

1) Once the Ukraine is admitted to NATO, Russia will realize that it can't cherry pick a smaller country, but would be forced to face the might of NATO. NATO has been consistent in its commitment to defend each member's sovereignty. All of a sudden, Russia becomes the little dog in the fight ...

2) Placing missile defense systems that close to the Russian border will severely decimate the effectiveness of the Russian missile system (which has already been significantly degraded due to lack of funding over the past 20 years). Russia has no effective counter-move. Of course, if even one nuclear missile were to get through, that is devastating. But, knowing that for every single missile they manage to get through the shield, a hundred will be returned, acts as an effective deterrent. Russia has no more interest in nuclear war than we do. Like us, they will only use them in defense of their country, unless they come to believe that a nuclear war is survivable.A 100-to-1 disadvantage pretty much negates that theory.

More importantly, it signals a unified commitment to restraining Russian activities outside its borders.

3) It applies even more pressure, without requiring international support, to the Russian economy. As for your nonsense about Republicans and their corporate bosses, its' all a grand conspiracy, right?

4) The Keystone development, again, signals the US commitment to driving oil prices down. In itself, it has little impact, but as an indicator, it applies further pressure to the Russian economy.

 

[Roudy]

Yeah sure, the sanctions are working, that's why Russia just invaded Ukraine.

New EU and US sanctions have been introduced against Russia for backing separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March the EU and US have ratcheted up sanctions several times, tightening restrictions on major Russian state banks and corporations.

They have blacklisted dozens of senior Russian officials, separatist commanders and Russian firms accused of undermining Ukrainian sovereignty.

What is the scope of new EU sanctions?

Gazprombank - Russia's third largest bank - now has much less access to Western capital
The EU sanctions announced on 12 September targeted Russia's state finances, energy and arms sectors. These are sectors managed by the powerful elite around President Vladimir Putin.

Russian state banks are now excluded from raising long-term loans in the EU, exports of dual-use equipment for military use in Russia are banned, future EU-Russia arms deals are banned and the EU will not export a wide range of oil industry technology.

Three major state oil firms are targeted: Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, the oil unit of gas giant Gazprom.

But the gas industry, space technology and nuclear energy are excluded from sanctions.

Dozens of senior Russian officials and separatist leaders are now subject to Western asset freezes and travel bans.

The targets are those considered "materially or financially supporting actions undermining or threatening Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence".

The EU has also followed the US lead in targeting more individuals in President Putin's inner circle, as well as some major companies.

An important target is Bank Rossiya, described as the "personal bank" for senior Russian officials. Its biggest shareholders - Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov - are blacklisted. They were also co-founders of the mysterious Ozero Dacha Co-operative, a housing community on the shore of Lake Komsomolsk founded in 1996, whose members accumulated massive fortunes under Mr Putin.

Arkady Rotenberg, another long-time acquaintance of Mr Putin, is also under EU and US sanctions. He used to practise judo with Mr Putin and now runs major infrastructure projects. He and his brother Boris own SMP bank and both won lucrative contracts for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Sanctions now target some top aides of Mr Putin in Russia's powerful Security Council
Sergei Chemezov is also on the list. Director of the huge state arms corporation Rostec, in Soviet times he was a KGB officer like Mr Putin and they served together in communist East Germany.

The Kremlin deputy chief of staff Vyacheslav Volodin is also under EU and US sanctions. And some top Russian generals are blacklisted.

The EU - but not the US - has blacklisted the heads of Russia's intelligence services.

How are individuals targeted?
An asset freeze affects not only bank accounts and shares but also economic resources such as property. So those on the list are not allowed to buy or sell their assets in the EU, once the freeze is in force.

The travel ban means being prevented from entering an EU country, even if a person is in transit. They would be placed on a visa blacklist.

There are however some exemptions. Diplomatic immunity still has to be respected, so diplomats can be exempted. A targeted individual may also be exempted on humanitarian grounds, for example if he/she needs to pay for medical treatment. An EU Council document defines the scope of such sanctions.

What has the US done?

Gennady Timchenko is one of the top players in the Russian business elite
The US sanctions also affect some of Russia's richest businessmen, including President Putin's inner circle.

Among them is Gennady Timchenko, a founder of the commodity trading firm Gunvor. He owns Volga Group, an investment firm with stakes in energy, transport and infrastructure, including Novatek, Russia's second biggest gas producer.

Igor Sechin is another big name on the US list. He is a former intelligence officer and long-term ally of Mr Putin, the most prominent of the inner circle figures who influence Kremlin policy.

Mr Sechin is chairman of oil firm Rosneft, which has energy partnerships with ExxonMobil and the UK's BP.

Mr Putin himself is not on the list - why? Western leaders do not want to treat Russia as an international pariah - they still want to be able to meet Mr Putin face-to-face. If he were on the sanctions list it would become harder to put direct diplomatic pressure on him. The West still needs Russian co-operation on a huge range of issues, including Iran and North Korea.

In July the US expanded its list to include more Russian businesses - including Rosneft and Novatek - as well as Gazprombank, part of the Gazprom state conglomerate. A Russian state bank dating back to the Soviet era - Vnesheconombank - is also on the list.

More US restrictions came in September, targeting the biggest Russian bank - Sberbank - defence conglomerate Rostec, Gazprom and some other major players in the Russian economy. Their access to long-term loans has been blocked.

Like the EU, the US has banned exports of services and technology to Russian state oil firms engaged in Arctic and deep-water exploration.

The famous Kalashnikov arms firm is there too, as are the unrecognised, self-styled "people's republics" established by the separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Do any of these measures really hurt the Russian economy?

Rosneft boss Igor Sechin (right) is a close associate of President Putin
The sanctions send a strong signal to Mr Putin and his powerful allies in business and politics.

The banks and energy companies listed will find it harder to access US and EU capital markets.

And the Western travel bans may hurt Mr Putin's rich and well-connected friends, though the asset freezes may affect them less. London is a popular haunt for Russia's business elite, many of whom have bought expensive properties in Britain.

The EU does much more business with Russia than the US does.

Observers say the sanctions are potentially grim for a Russian economy that has slumped this year. After years when Russia was buoyed by oil income the economy is now facing weaker direct investment and soaring capital flight.

Capital worth $75bn (£44bn) has left Russia so far this year - a much higher rate of haemorrhage than last year.

Russia is teetering on the brink of recession. The economy grew just 1.3% last year and did not grow at all between April and June.

BBC News - How far do EU-US sanctions on Russia go

Aha! So that's why Russian tanks and just entered Ukraine. Some of equipment can even carry nukes. Sanctions must be working!

NATO commander: Russian troops, tanks, artillery move into Ukraine
From Greg Botelho, CNN
updated 5:58 PM EST, Thu November 13, 2014

Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air defense systems and Russian troops -- all heading into Ukraine.

That's what American Gen. Phillip Breedlove, the commander of NATO forces in Europe, said Wednesday that his government has seen over the past few days

A day earlier, Breedlove said Russia has moved "forces that are capable of being nuclear" into Crimea, which was Ukrainian territory until being folded into Russia on the heels of a government turnover earlier this year.

 

[Roudy]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

HOLY FUCK ^^^

I continue to be amazed at how utterly clueless some people on this message board are with regard to understanding the dynamics of human psychology.......people who long ago just bought in to all the feminist PC bullshit and somehow learned along the way that musical chairs is a contact sport!!

Putin KNOWS Soetero is a pantywaist!!

Well, that has to be the most unintelligible post of the week. Congratulations. We all know that Putin has limited political and economic capital, and a limited amount of time in which to use it before he has to pull back on his Russian cowboy reins. At least, most of us do.

Why do you think Putin has limited political and economic capital? He runs the country like a thug, either incarcerates or assassinates all those who oppose him and his cronies, and enjoys high favorability among Russians. What's there to worry about? He will just re elect himself or put in place a puppet, when the time comes.

 

[Roudy]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Actually, it's pretty obvious Putin and the rest of America's enemies and competitors are constantly sticking their fingers in America's eyes because they know Obama won't do a thing about it. It's just a question of how far they think they can push the envelope without further consequences.

What, exactly, do you believe Obama should be doing about it that he isn't already doing?

Nothing he can do now. The Russians have already seen his hand and know that he doesn't mean what he says.

The West has to contain and limit the Russian aggression, until we have a leader with experience and balls.

John McCain in 2008: "This is no time to elect a president that requires on-the-job training". Golden words of wisdom. Too bad Americans got duped by this shyster not once, but twice.

 

[Katzndogz]

Hungary is getting ready to follow Ukraine back to the Russian fold.

President Putin has the Russian people behind him. President Putin knows that obama, as weak as he is personally, does not have the support of the people. obama just lost a referendum on his performance. This has caused a world wide snicker.

 

[Jackson]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

 

[Roudy]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

 

[Moonglow]

Why I think this thread needs some borscht to make you all feel at home....

 

[Kondor3]

 

[orogenicman]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

 

[DriftingSand]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

1) B.S. on the 6% unemployment claim. Underemployment is gigantic.
2) Obama has zero to do with lowering fuel prices. OPEC does.
3) As for the "lowest deficit in years" why not present all of the facts? The lower deficit has zero to do with reduced spending but due to increased taxation. In fact, the Obama administration has the world's record on the most taxes collected in October:

This continues a trend seen through fiscal 2014, which ended on Sept. 30, when the federal government took in a record $3,020,809,000,000 in revenue but still ran a deficit of $483,336,000,000.

In October, the first month of fiscal 2015, total federal revenues were $212,719,000,000, according to data released by the Treasury. Federal spending was 334,432,000,000 for the month. That left a deficit of $121,713,000,000.

Tax Revenues Set Record for October Feds Still Run Monthly Deficit of 1 050 Per Household CNS News

 

[Roudy]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

Even 1% unemployment doesn't mean jack when record number of people are out of work and stopped looking. Oil prices dropping for first time in 7 years, only to climb back up again? Whoop de doo.

Romney pinned him exactly with that failure to lead description. If anything epitomizes Obama's presidency, it's his failure to lead and constant lying to the American people.

 

[Roudy]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

1) B.S. on the 6% unemployment claim. Underemployment is gigantic.
2) Obama has zero to do with lowering fuel prices. OPEC does.
3) As for the "lowest deficit in years" why not present all of the facts? The lower deficit has zero to do with reduced spending but due to increased taxation. In fact, the Obama administration has the world's record on the most taxes collected in October:

This continues a trend seen through fiscal 2014, which ended on Sept. 30, when the federal government took in a record $3,020,809,000,000 in revenue but still ran a deficit of $483,336,000,000.

In October, the first month of fiscal 2015, total federal revenues were $212,719,000,000, according to data released by the Treasury. Federal spending was 334,432,000,000 for the month. That left a deficit of $121,713,000,000.

Tax Revenues Set Record for October Feds Still Run Monthly Deficit of 1 050 Per Household CNS News

Well one thing for sure, the IRS thanks to Obama's expansion and hiring of an additional 200,000 agents is busy destroying people's lives, auditing the entire population of America.

 

[Saigon]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Exactly that.

Looking through this thread there isn't a great deal except anti-Americanism posturing as patriotism, but here at least we see someone nail the target.

Putin is motivated far, far more by his relationship with the EU and with the Ukraine than he is with the US right now, and of course the OP wouldn't know that the air and sea space of Sweden, Estonia and Finland has also been breached recently - or do they all have lame duck presidents as well?

What does make me laugh about this thread is this myopic view that anything and everything that happens in the world is because of the US - even when the US is playing a minor role in the events themselves.

 

[skookerasbil]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Exactly that.

Looking through this thread there isn't a great deal except anti-Americanism posturing as patriotism, but here at least we see someone nail the target.

Putin is motivated far, far more by his relationship with the EU and with the Ukraine than he is with the US right now, and of course the OP wouldn't know that the air and sea space of Sweden, Estonia and Finland has also been breached recently - or do they all have lame duck presidents as well?

What does make me laugh about this thread is this myopic view that anything and everything that happens in the world is because of the US - even when the US is playing a minor role in the events themselves.

In other words.......we should continue the foreign policy of sending Blimpie Subs and cases of Coke to our enemies...........keep that comfy feeling going!!!

 

[Spare_change]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

Your superficial view of the economy is what causes the economic mess. You fail to address the real issues .... the number of people without jobs who have given up looking and thus, create a massive draw on those who do produce, the lack of substantive and real growth in the business community (as opposed to the manipulation of the stock market), the fact that we have, increasingly, had to depend on borrowed money to sustain ourselves, and overall loss of spending power by the citizenry.

You talk about lower oil and gas prices, and try to intimate that is the result of our government. Isn't it more truthful to say that this has happened DESPITE our government? It has been private development on private lands - something the government has prevented on public lands and has TRIED to stop on private lands - that has resulted in the lowering prices.

Lowest deficit in years is, frankly, a joke ... we should be proud that we are going bankrupt slower than we did last year? What kind of perverted logic is that? That is just a panacea to keep you misdirected from reality. Then, to add insult to injury, when you look at the deficit, you allow yourself to be bamboozled. You willingly drink from the fount of misinformation, not because you are intentionally misled, but because you WANT to be misled.

The deficit in 2008 was $458 billion - in 2009, it increased to $1.4 trillion, and has $1.2 trillion in 2010 and 2011, dropped all the way to $1 trillion in 2012 (notice this is an election year?), and $680 billion in 2013. Now, in 2014, it is projected to be about $480 billion, and to rise to $540 billion in 2015. US Federal Deficit Definition - plus charts and analysis

That means, in the past 6 years, we have spent about $8 trillion more than we took in ... and THIS is something you're proud of? Hardly an indicator of a robust economy and a facile government, wouldn't you say?

Wake up and look at the facts!!!

 

[Spare_change]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Exactly that.

Looking through this thread there isn't a great deal except anti-Americanism posturing as patriotism, but here at least we see someone nail the target.

Putin is motivated far, far more by his relationship with the EU and with the Ukraine than he is with the US right now, and of course the OP wouldn't know that the air and sea space of Sweden, Estonia and Finland has also been breached recently - or do they all have lame duck presidents as well?

What does make me laugh about this thread is this myopic view that anything and everything that happens in the world is because of the US - even when the US is playing a minor role in the events themselves.

Myopic? Yep - that pretty much covers your tunnel-vision view of reality.

 

[orogenicman]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

Even 1% unemployment doesn't mean jack when record number of people are out of work and stopped looking. Oil prices dropping for first time in 7 years, only to climb back up again? Whoop de doo.

Romney pinned him exactly with that failure to lead description. If anything epitomizes Obama's presidency, it's his failure to lead and constant lying to the American people.

Only to climb back up again? In what alternative universe? I just paid $2.65/gallon for gas, dude.

 

[orogenicman]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

1) B.S. on the 6% unemployment claim. Underemployment is gigantic.
2) Obama has zero to do with lowering fuel prices. OPEC does.
3) As for the "lowest deficit in years" why not present all of the facts? The lower deficit has zero to do with reduced spending but due to increased taxation. In fact, the Obama administration has the world's record on the most taxes collected in October:

This continues a trend seen through fiscal 2014, which ended on Sept. 30, when the federal government took in a record $3,020,809,000,000 in revenue but still ran a deficit of $483,336,000,000.

In October, the first month of fiscal 2015, total federal revenues were $212,719,000,000, according to data released by the Treasury. Federal spending was 334,432,000,000 for the month. That left a deficit of $121,713,000,000.

Tax Revenues Set Record for October Feds Still Run Monthly Deficit of 1 050 Per Household CNS News

Well one thing for sure, the IRS thanks to Obama's expansion and hiring of an additional 200,000 agents is busy destroying people's lives, auditing the entire population of America.

The entire population, eh? What,exactly, have you been smoking, dude?

 

[orogenicman]

The entire world knows we have a weak leader.

And that was basically the message of the Nov. 4 elections. During the 2012 campaign, Romney stated: "This president has exhibited a failure to lead"

Another well put description by a republican candidate. Does anybody think we would be in this economic and international mess had Romney been elected in 2012?

Oh, you mean where we less than 6% unemployment, massive stock market advances, dropping oil and gas prices, and the lowest deficit in years? That economic mess? Give me a break.

Your superficial view of the economy is what causes the economic mess. You fail to address the real issues .... the number of people without jobs who have given up looking and thus, create a massive draw on those who do produce, the lack of substantive and real growth in the business community (as opposed to the manipulation of the stock market), the fact that we have, increasingly, had to depend on borrowed money to sustain ourselves, and overall loss of spending power by the citizenry.

You talk about lower oil and gas prices, and try to intimate that is the result of our government. Isn't it more truthful to say that this has happened DESPITE our government? It has been private development on private lands - something the government has prevented on public lands and has TRIED to stop on private lands - that has resulted in the lowering prices.

Lowest deficit in years is, frankly, a joke ... we should be proud that we are going bankrupt slower than we did last year? What kind of perverted logic is that? That is just a panacea to keep you misdirected from reality. Then, to add insult to injury, when you look at the deficit, you allow yourself to be bamboozled. You willingly drink from the fount of misinformation, not because you are intentionally misled, but because you WANT to be misled.

The deficit in 2008 was $458 billion - in 2009, it increased to $1.4 trillion, and has $1.2 trillion in 2010 and 2011, dropped all the way to $1 trillion in 2012 (notice this is an election year?), and $680 billion in 2013. Now, in 2014, it is projected to be about $480 billion, and to rise to $540 billion in 2015. US Federal Deficit Definition - plus charts and analysis

That means, in the past 6 years, we have spent about $8 trillion more than we took in ... and THIS is something you're proud of? Hardly an indicator of a robust economy and a facile government, wouldn't you say?

Wake up and look at the facts!!!

Your superficial view of the economy is what causes the economic mess.

So now it is my fault? That's hilarious. You 'pubicans' will blame everyone and everything but yourselves. Amazing,